Over the Hill: 1. Over the Hill

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1. Over the Hill

A little piece of nonsense written for Doctor Gamgee's fortieth birthday.

What luck, thought Eowyn, that the royalty of Gondor and Rohan should come together for council at this time on this year. Knowing without asking that her brother would support her if he but heard, she began by explaining the basics of her plan to Faramir, who, of course, objected. Eowyn was used to that.

"Come now, my love," she wheedled, putting all her charm into it and looking about for Eomer. "It would be a wonderful experience, and moreover, a Rohirric tradition."

"Absolutely not," declared Faramir. "I am but forty years of age, and there is nothing about that age that is, as you put it, 'over the hill'."

"Can no one understand that I only honor traditions worthy of it?" Faramir responded with a frustration born of long endurance with this subject.

"Such as the one that calls for the King to wear disgustingly embroidered robes to every Council meeting?" muttered Aragorn as he turned away.

"That was quite an honorable tradition," retorted Faramir. "And the word you are searching for is delicately, not disgustingly."

But Aragorn was gone, and Faramir turned to face his Rohirric relations again, cringing at the glee that shone from their faces. "For the last time, please, I beg you," he said, "I am not old."

But before another word could be said, Legolas slid up behind Faramir, putting an arm round his shoulder and smiling down upon brother and sister with a youthlike demeanor. "Of course you are not, Faramir. Why, you are but a child, scarcely older than these babes I see before me."

And with a flashing grin, he turned and whisked himself away, leaving the Steward of Gondor fairly smug, and the King of Rohan magnificently smoldering.

"As you can see," said Faramir smoothly, "holding this party now would be quite out of place. If you should choose to do so in, say, forty years, I should not make ruckus. But if nothing else is convincing, let you both know that if you declare me elderly at forty years of age, what would you call the Lady Galadriel?"

"Nothing that is not flattering, of course," growled Gimli, the latest eavesdropper.

As Faramir departed, triumphant, it was in Eomer's mind to call out the word 'ancient' in answer, defying the rhetoric nature of the question and Gimli at the same time, but Eowyn spotted his look, and spoke quickly: "Eomer, we must admit that have been outdone, by Gondorians and Elves no less. But think you for a moment of the benefits—if Faramir has it not done to him, neither shall it be done to us."

"So say you, oh happy resident of Gondor," murmured Eomer, sighing. "Elfhelm, despite his name, knows nothing of Elvish ways, and will not care what has been decided today. It will not matter how youthful I may be in nine years: it shall happen."

"Of course not!" snorted Eomer. He wrapped one arm around Eowyn and leaned in, whispering: "Yes, in this matter, of course, but let it never be known."

Eowyn chuckled. "Of course. Worry not, my brother, I shall not even tell my quite elderly husband." And with a twinkle in her eye, she departed in search of Faramir again.

The End

A/N: Halig mearas is Rohirric for "holy horses"

This is a work of fan fiction, written because the author has an abiding love for the works of J R R Tolkien. The characters, settings, places, and languages used in this work are the property of the Tolkien Estate, Tolkien Enterprises, and possibly New Line Cinema, except for certain original characters who belong to the author of the said work. The author will not receive any money or other remuneration for presenting the work on this archive site. The work is the intellectual property of the author, is available solely for the enjoyment of Henneth Annûn Story Archive readers, and may not be copied or redistributed by any means without the explicit written consent of the author.

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